History Main / LyricalDissonance

[[/folder]]

** Martin's song that his dad said he used to sing to him affects this. It begins about being kind, caring, forgiving, and such then evolves into being "obsequious, purple and clairvoyant." The rest of the song follows that pattern ("Be tasteless rude and offensive"/"Live in a swamp and be three-dimensional").

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'', Ranka's signature song ''Aimo'' is later modified into a war song. The dissonance doesn't fully set in until the last episode when it's revealed that ''Aimo'' is a love song. In fact, they let the first line (Aimo, aimo, netel lhushe) intact - and Aimo means [[UsefulNotes/JapanesePronouns Anata]].
** It doesn't help that half of the song is in [[ConLang Zentran]].
* Umino's father in ''Manga/SatouKashiNoDanganWaUchinukenai'' is famous for singing a song about a mermaid who falls in love with a human. It being a victim of the SecondVerseCurse is a part of the reason no one remembers that this cute romance song ends with him killing her, chopping her up, and making her into sashimi. [[spoiler:This is {{foreshadowing}} as he ends up killing Umino and tries to dispose of her body by cutting it up.]]
* In the final season of the original ''Manga/SailorMoon'' anime, Minako sings in public her ImageSong "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp-LmGp4uA4 Route Venus]]", a song with a cheery melody about [[MarriedToTheJob giving up her love life for duty]]. Minako being Minako, she sung it at an idol audition she took part in just to see if she could ''once her battles as Sailor Venus were over'', and actually felt she had to have Usagi's permission to even try out.
* In chapter 11 of ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'' (episode 3 in the anime), Tohru sings a cheerful tune about bringing about the end of the world while she's dusting.
-->'''Kobayashi''': Well, that's nice and disturbing.

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
* Don Bluth's adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/{{Thumbelina|1994}}'' has a song with a syrupy-sweet melody performed in an equally saccharine tone by Carol Channing, with the following lyrics:
--> ''Here comes the bride is a lovely little ditty\\
But marrying for love is a foolish thing to do\\
'Cause love won't pay the mortgage or put porridge in your bowl\\
Dearie, marry the mole\\
True it's a fact that he's not exactly witty\\
He's blinder than a bat, but at least his eyes are blue\\
His breath may be alarming but he's charming, for a troll\\
Dearie, marry the mole\\
Romeo and Juliet\\
Were very much in love when they were wed\\
They honored every vow and where are they now?\\
THEY'RE DEAD! DEAD! VERY VERY DEAD\\
Poor Thumbelina, your brain's so itty bitty\\
I hate to seem a pest, but I know what's best for you\\
Just think of all the ways that you can decorate a hole\\
Take my advice, I'll bring the rice\\
Dearie, Marry the Mole!\\
Marry the Mole!\\
Marry that Moooole\\
M is for money. O-L-E''
* Creator/TimBurton is a master of mixing the macabre and the lighthearted, so it's no surprise that the music in his movies is the same. The best example is "Remains of the Day" from ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'', a swinging jazzy tune about death and murder. Even while you're tapping your feet to the beat, you probably don't miss the extremely dark chorus:
--> "Die, die, we all pass away, but don't wear a frown, cause it's really ok! You might try to hide, and you might try to pray, but we all end up the remains of the day!"
* "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind", from ''Disney/TheGreatMouseDetective'', is one of Disney's cheeriest villain songs. The most disturbing lyrics?
--> Even Meaner? You mean it? Worse than the widows and orphans you drowned?
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Hoodwinked}}'' has Boingo's VillainSong, "Top of the Woods," a song about oppressing other creatures, getting children addicted to junk food, and becoming a ruthless dictator, [[https://genius.com/Andy-dick-top-of-the-woods-lyrics all to a very upbeat jazz band]].

-->''"When your only desire is to dominate the land of the wolves and the squirrels\\
You've got to think with a open mind and learn to detest little girls\\
And everyone knows at the end of a show the villain puts his plan into words\\
Except [[MediumAwareness there won't be a rescue before the credits roll]] cause I'm gonna be top of the woods!"''

-->''"Now the kids will be packed with my [=BoingoSnax=]\\
Construction begins in a day\\
And all of the bears will be ruled by the hare\\
As I maniacally plot from my evil lair!"'' [''cue [[EvilLaugh evil laugh]]'']
** At the end, with some nice upbeat chords: "[[TitleDrop You've been hoodwinked, baby!]] Oh, yeahhh"
* ''Disney/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJGqxf86cZs "My Lullaby"]], [[VillainSong a brutal declaration of war and violence]] set to the tune of a children's lullaby. On the other hand, it grows to be pretty creepy...
* "Let It Go" from ''{{Disney/Frozen}}'', an uplifting-sounding song by Elsa about finally accepting her powers... which is also about choosing to live a life in isolation and cut herself off from the world. Ironically enough that's ''inverted'' on a meta-level, seeing as by many people it's viewed as an empowerment anthem and has actually encouraged many, which is arguably the ''opposite'' of what some dissonance may suggest it means for Elsa. Also of note is that it was originally intended to be a VillainSong before Idina's performance led the writers to completely changing the story, and the song led people to treat it as... well, the exact opposite. Irony at its finest.
* ''{{Disney/Moana}}'':
** "Shiny" veers back in forth in tone between the menacing tones of a VillainSong... and upbeat '70s glam rock. While most of the song consists of {{Badass Boast}}s that fit the tone of both halves, Tamatoa's intent to kill and eat the heroes is mostly expressed in the bouncy parts, and the lyrics do not at all sugarcoat this desire. Just look at the way the lyrics [[MoodWhiplash swerve]]...
-->''I'm too shiny\\
Watch me dazzle like a diamond in the rough\\
Strut my stuff, my stuff is so shiny\\
Send your armies but they'll never be enough\\
My shell's too tough\\
Maui man, you can try try try\\
But you can't expect a demigod to beat a decapod (look it up!)\\
You will die die die\\
Now it's time for me to take apart your aching heart''

-->''Maui, now it's time to kick your heinie\\
Ever seen someone so shiny?\\
Soak it in 'cause it's the last you'll ever see\\
C'est la vie, mon ami\\
I'm so shiny\\
Now I eat you so prepare your final plea\\
Just for me''
** The tail-end of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79DijItQXMM "You're Welcome"]]; Maui's IAmGreatSong starts out with a recap of all the awesome things he's done, but near the finish he sings on how he's taking Moana's boat, and then traps her in a cave, while still keeping the upbeat melody.
-->''Hey, it's okay, okay,\\
"You're welcome" (You're welcome!)\\
But come to think of it, I gotta go!\\
Hey, it's you day to say\\
"You're welcome" (You're welcome!)\\
'Cause I'm gonna need that boat\\
I'm sailing away, away\\
You're welcome (You're welcome!)\\
'Cause Maui can do everything but float!\\
You're welcome! (You're welcome!) You're welcome! (You're welcome!) You're welcome!''\\
And thank you!
* The children's movie ''WesternAnimation/TheBraveLittleToaster'' contains a song near its end which the other wiki sums up perfectly: "''Worthless'' is sung by the junkyard's broken down cars, each singing a few verses about their life before being smashed and killed by the compactor." However, they fail to mention the upbeat music it's sung to.
* [[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=imKPenpVyPQ "L'il Ark Angel"]] from ''WesternAnimation/CatsDontDance'' starts with Darla singing about the world being destroyed in a flood and people and animals drowning in exactly the same cheerful tone she later sings about the various animals she's rescuing. If you hadn't already realized she'd be the BigBad of the film from the foreshadowing in the intro, it's hard to miss it after that.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXSsagwvo3M "Batty Rap"]] from ''WesternAnimation/FernGullyTheLastRainforest''. It has a fast and springy beat and tune.....with the lyrics being about how Batty was used in animal testing laboratory, with strong implications that ''he was conscious throughout all the processes''. Due to its 'adult' nature, quite a bit of the song was cut from the film, but was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1g5Oajn5UE left in on the CD]].
-->"The Eye makeup, when inserted rectally, has some effect...\\
Remove the brain cap...\\
If you notice, by dipping the bat in a series of paints...\\
After 600 packs of cigarettes, the animals seem to exhibit some carcinogenic tendencies..."\\
[[GettingCrapPastTheRadar Oh God, I'm bleeding by my genitals!]]
** The tune's single most horrifying line: "As you see, the animals don't really feel pain, ''THEY JUST GET USED TO IT!!!''"
* The song "Mother Knows Best" in ''Disney/{{Tangled}}'' is a cheerful, bouncy song where Gothel terrifies Rapunzel by listing off all the "scary and dangerous" things in the outside world and how all of them ''will'' happen to Rapunzel if she steps out of the tower. Throughout the song, Gothel is intentionally [[AbusiveParents emotionally abusing]] Rapunzel by playing with her fears to make her seem like she's the only one in the cruel world Rapunzel could trust.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'' has one that becomes foreshadowing: Ernesto de la Cruz's rendition of "Remember Me" seems very ''wrong''. The lyrics come from a place of love, true pure love, yet they're being presented with this upbeat melody like it's a frivolous and showoffish love. [[spoiler:That's because it's not Ernesto's song, but Hector's. Notice how Hector's portrayal of the song is one that's slow and melancholy, and feels more genuine and heartfelt. It's something that only he was able to write, because it came from his heart. However, with Ernesto, music is a tool for him to achieve fame and nothing more. He has no care for using music as a tool to express his feelings, which is why the only way he could achieve anything was to steal music from somebody who legitimately cared about music: Hector. However, while Ernesto stole the lyrics and melody of the song from Hector, the one thing he couldn't steal was the heart and passion of the song, which is why Ernesto's version is glorified and over the top. Ernesto missed the point of Hector's song, thus making the song feel artificial and soulless, when compared to Hector's version.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Uglydolls}}'' has a couple: "The Ugly Truth," a bouncy funk song where Lou points out how "ugly" everyone else is compared to himself, and "All Dolled Up," an upbeat song about changing how you look in order to be like everyone else.

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/GeorgyGirl'': the theme is about how the protagonist is insecure but you can't tell it from the outside...but it has a very light, upbeat tune.
* The 2005 ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' film opens with the Guide narrating to us about how on Earth, man was only the third-most intelligent species on the Earth. The second most intelligent species, were in fact dolphins, who curiously enough knew of [[EarthShatteringKaboom the impending destruction of the planet Earth]]. They made many attempts to alert mankind to the impending doom, but most of their communications were misinterpreted as amusing attempts to punch footballs or whistle for tidbits. So they eventually decided to leave Earth by their own means. The last ever dolphin message was misinterpreted as a surprisingly sophisticated attempt to do a double backward somersault through a hoop while whistling the Star-Spangled Banner, but in fact the message was this: "So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish", an upbeat song with these catchy lyrics:
-->''The world's about to be destroyed\\
There's no point getting all annoyed\\
Lie back and let the planet dissolve around you\\
So long, so long, and thanks for all the fish!''
** The "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wSBC5Dyds8 Share and Enjoy]]" song from [[Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy the radio series]] is a cheerful little ballad, which must be sung a flattened fifth out of tune by a badly-programmed choir of robots. The lyrics are about how, when malfunctioning Sirius Cybernetics robots tear off doors and [[BlackComedyRape rape cats]], the company's complaints department ([[IncompetenceInc which takes up the masses of three planets and is the only part of the company to turn a profit]]) won't give a fig. "Go stick your head in a pig!"
** Disaster Area's song "Only the End of the World Again" can be heard on the now-rare ''Hitchhiker's Guide'' EP (with the rubber duck on the sleeve). It's a heavy rock ballad about a guy who kills his best friend to be with his girlfriend, takes her for a crash in her dad's car, and then makes out with her as the moon explodes for no adequately explored reason.
* "That Thing you Do" in the [[Film/ThatThingYouDo movie of the same name]] is an upbeat, Beach Boys-esque song about a guy lamenting his girlfriend leaving him.
** In story, the songwriter intended for the song to be a slow ballad, but it became the peppy dance hall song it is after the new drummer decided to up the tempo without telling anybody
* The opening number for ''Film/PhantomOfTheParadise'', "Goodbye Eddie Goodbye," is about a singer who commits suicide in order to promote the sales of his upcoming album. The song is sung in catchy 50's style complete with "ya-ya-ya-yaahs" and the lead singer pantomiming Eddie's death throes.
** The end credits song contains a bouncy piano breakdown along with the lyrics "Good for nothing / Bad in bed / Nobody likes you / You're better off dead / Goodbye."
* ''Film/TheHangover'' has a band playing [[Music/FiftyCent 50 Cent's]] "Candy Shop" in lounge style as well.
* ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' had fun with this one while parodying some of the more overblown conventions of the HeavyMetal genre.
** "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" seems to be a fairly straightforward parody of sexually-charged, self-promoting Rock and Roll anthems directed at adoring female fans; until you realize it's talking specifically about ''pre-pubescent'' female fans.
** At one point in the film, guitarist Nigel Tufnel plays a short piano piece. It's a hauntingly beautiful excerpt from a trilogy he's composing in D-minor, "The saddest of all keys", inspired by his love of Mozart and Bach. The name of this melancholy tune? [[spoiler: Lick My Love Pump. Admittedly, his inspiration might have been Mozart's piece named Lick Me In the Ass.]]
** In a deleted scene (available on the DVD), after the breakup of Spinal Tap, David St. Hubbins discusses his long-time desire to create an [[ExcitedShowTitle classic, upbeat-style musical a la ''Oliver!'']] titled ''Saucy Jack''; [[AllMusicalsAreAdaptations based on the life of]] UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper.
* How is the best way to promote [[Film/IndependenceDay Roland]] [[Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow Emmerich's]] latest film ''Film/TwoThousandTwelve''? Give it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oRHqKteYvE a trailer tune]] sung by ''[[Series/AmericanIdol Idol]]'' Runner-up Adam Lambert, that's what! And the title of this song is "Miracle", of all things.
* ''Film/TeamAmericaWorldPolice'' features a parody of Theatre/{{RENT}}'s songs and the subject matter with an uplifting song of: "EVERYONE HAS AIDS! AIDS AIDS AIDS!" Etcetera.
* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' has "Brave Sir Robin," who was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways indeed.
* ''Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian'' contains the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," with such lyrically dissonant lines as, "always look on the bright side of death," being sung by Brian during his own crucifixion.
** Later incorporated into ''Theatre/{{Spamalot}}'', the stage adaptation of ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''.
** And famously sung by British sailors assigned to HMS ''Sheffield'' during UsefulNotes/TheFalklandsWar. [[StiffUpperLip While their]] [[GallowsHumor ship was sinking.]]
* Music/RichardCheese [[LoungeLizard swanks out]] a cover of Disturbed's "Down With The Sickness" in the 2004 remake of ''Film/DawnOfTheDead2004''. This is, of course, his entire schtick.
* ''Film/MaryPoppins'' invokes this with a soft, sleep-inducing lullaby called "Stay Awake".
* ''Sweeney Todd'' (both the [[Theatre/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet original play]] by Music/StephenSondheim and the [[Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet cinematic adaptation]] by Creator/TimBurton) has the song "A Little Priest". Todd and Mrs. Lovetts are singing about murdering random strangers and cooking them into meat pies...but it's such a pleasant and upbeat tune!
* Speaking of Tim Burton, in his [[Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory adaptation]] of ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', the Oompa-Loompas' {{morality ballad}}s are all fun and energetic, but the lyrics graphically detail the potential gruesome fates of misbehaving children. Perhaps the most JustForFun/{{egregious}} example is [[BlackComedyCannibalism the Augustus Gloop song]], an upbeat UsefulNotes/{{Bollywood}}-style number about how poor Augustus is going to be [[TheSecretOfLongPorkPies mixed into Wonka's fudge]]. It's worth noting that all those lyrics came directly from Creator/RoaldDahl's original novel, which shouldn't surprise anyone familiar with Dahl's trademark style of BlackComedy. What's more, Music/DannyElfman was responsible for putting those lyrics to musical accompaniment, and Elfman is no stranger to LyricalDissonance, as Music/OingoBoingo fans will readily attest.
* ''Film/AirAmerica'' has a pair of chinese singers singing America's "Horse with no name" a song about desperate loneliness in an upbeat longue-singer fashion.
* In ''Film/{{Borat}}'', Borat sings the National Anthem of fictional Kazakhstan to the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner".
* The movie ''Film/GrumpierOldMen'' starts with a bouncy song about the singer killing his wife's lover and leaving his corpse for the crows
-->"I'm gonna kill you just for fun, you rascal you\\
I'm gonna kill you just for fun, you rascal you,\\
(Verse 1) I'm gonna kill you just for fun, the birds can have you when I'm done, (Verse 2) You slept with my wife, now I'm gonna take your life\\
I'm gonna kill you just for fun, you rascal you"
* In ''Film/BillyMadison'', during the musical number where Billy vows to go back to school, [[BrickJoke the clown who fell down during a party earlier in the film]] suddenly comes to life and starts singing.
-->'''Clown:''' (''singing cheerfully'') Hey, kids, it's me! I bet you thought that I was dead! But when I fell over, I just broke my leg and got a hemorrhage in my head!
* Lana Del Ray's cover of "Once Upon A Dream" for 2014's ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'' takes the sweet, happy Disney love song and gives it a creepy new feeling.
* One of the songs in the movie ''Film/BeginAgain'' has a song called "A Step You Can't Take Back". If you listen to the lyrics, it's pretty clear the song is about someone committing suicide, but you wouldn't know it from the upbeat melody.
* Creator/MelBrooks's ''Film/HistoryOfTheWorldPartI'' features a catchy BusbyBerkeleyNumber about UsefulNotes/TheSpanishInquisition.
* The 1971 film ''Taking Off'' contains a scene in which a young {{Ingenue}}-looking girl sings very sincerely and accompanies herself on the lute. The music is charming, restrained and reminiscent of the Elizabethan era. The lyrics, by contrast, are filthy. The LyricalDissonance is played up when the word "fuck" is, several times, given classical melismatic treatment. Can be watched [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSqleyVVluM here]].

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Discworld/{{Maskerade}}'' has the "Departure Aria". It's said to be about how hard it is for the heroine to leave her lover, and when the last great diva sang it, "there wasn't a dry eye in the house". The lyrics translate to:
-->This damn door sticks\\
This damn door sticks\\
It sticks no matter what the hell I do\\
It's marked "Pull" and indeed I am pulling.\\
Perhaps it should be marked "Push"?
* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Velard Julian Velard]] fit Creator/HPLovecraft's poem "[[http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/poetry/p121.aspx Nemesis]]" to the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKKTqB_Lzv0&feature=youtu.be tune]] of "Piano Man" by Music/BillyJoel.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Inverted in a RunningGag on ''Series/TheMaryWhitehouseExperience'', where they make fun of Robert Smith of [[Music/TheCure The Cure's]] (brief) attempts to show his cheerful, happy side in his music. They perform songs such as ''Ernie, The Fastest Milkman in the World'' and ''The Laughing Policeman'' to the band's signature melancholic style.
* The ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' episode "Afternoon Delight" involves a running gag in which several characters belatedly realize that the song of the same name is much more overtly sexual than its innocent tune suggests.
* In an episode of ''Series/TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles'' John Henry and Savannah sing the Scottish novelty song "Donald Where's Yer Troosers?" It's sung slow and hauntingly over images of Sarah being arrested and Derek being buried.
* The song "What A Difference A Day Makes" from ''Series/{{Mongrels}}'', a happy melodious love duet about underage sex and statutory rape. Just [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4p3IQS3pKI listen to it here]].
* Mr G's songs in ''Series/SummerHeightsHigh'' when he's trying to write an upbeat musical about a girl at the school who [[RefugeInAudacity died from an ecstasy overdose.]]
--> Annabelle Dickson\\
When girls take drugs\\
And then they die\\
Who would have thought\\
At Summer Heights High\\
On days like these\\
It's a Bummer Heights High
* ''Neighbours'': The opening theme's lyrics are about neighbourly support and friendship, and while the show does explore such themes, it also necessarily thrives on common soap opera themes such as deception and betrayal. There have been a few incarnations of the tune over the show's long run - it was originally sung jovially by Barry Crocker - but all of them are upbeat.
* The jaunty, upbeat ''Series/RedDwarf'' theme: "It's cold outside, there's no kind of atmosphere, I'm all alone, more or less..."
** The song "Tongue Tied" is an upbeat pop song which graphically deconstructs the CardiovascularLove trope.
* Deliberately, blatantly, and hilariously invoked by Andrew Hansen of ''Series/TheChasersWarOnEverything'', in his lounge arrangement of the Music/CannibalCorpse song "Rancid Amputation".
** During "Yes We Canberra", they had a song with fast-paced and cheery music about the candidates. It's called the [[ClusterFBomb "Fucked Song"]].
* Pretty much all the music-based games in ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'' are built around this trope - except when it's Colin Mochrie trying to sing, then it's funny for [[SoBadItsGood a different reason.]]
* Series/{{Victorious}} does this from time to time, the most recent being "Freak the Freak out" a techno-pop, autotune, dance song about someone getting fed up with being ignored.
* The theme from ''Series/{{Mash}}'' was usually played in instrumental form, and if not overly cheerful, it's at least a nice, relaxing tune. Then there are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gO7uemm6Yo the lyrics]], [[DrivenToSuicide which are less so]].
* On ''Series/{{Glee}}'' Blaine decides "Candles" by HeyMonday is [[spoiler: the perfect song to sing a romantic duet with Kurt at regionals]]. The problem? It's about a girl who is alone for the first time after breaking up with her abusive boyfriend.
** Also, similar to the ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' example above, Emma decides that Afternoon Delight is the perfect song to sing with [[CrossesTheLineTwice the celibacy club.]] When Holly informs her that it's about a nooner, we get this gem:
--> '''Emma:''' Exactly! A nooner is when you sneak out for dessert in the middle of the day... right?
** And we can't forget Glee's choice for a graduation song, GloryDays by Music/BruceSpringsteen. The problem? It's about a bunch of people who look back fondly at their high school years while wallowing in the drunken monotony of their adult lives.
* ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'' has "Yorokobi no Uta" (Song of Happiness), which is very much a VillainSong that Candelila first sings on Brave 6. Already there you can see that it's a bouncy J-Pop song that talks about Deboss destroying the world, but when she (in her human guise) sings it again in Brave 11, the lyrics go into further detail, by exalting Deboss as Earth's true overlords and stating that all humans should be maimed and killed, all this in front of a crowd of adoring fans. While still sounding very much like a J-Pop song. You couldn't get a better musical representation of SugarApocalypse if you tried.
* In ''Series/DoctorWho'', the full version of Murray Gold's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95rTEbYUdH0 Song for Ten]] (featured in part at the end of Creator/DavidTennant's first full episode) is a cheery tune with lyrics describing his eventual separation from Rose.
--> "''So have a good life\\
Do it for me\\
Make me so proud\\
Like you want me to be\\
And wherever you are,\\
I'm thinking of you\\
Oceans apart.''"
* ''Series/DrewCareysImprovaganza'' had an Elizabethan era song about ''strippers''.[[note]][[RealityIsUnrealistic Those were pretty common, actually.]][[/note]]
* The theme song to Series/PrettyLittleLiars is the chorus of the song "Secrets" by The Pierces. It's very catchy, but the lyrics are absolutely bone-chilling:
-->"''Got a secret, can you keep it? Swear this one you'll save\\
Better lock it in your pocket, takin' this one to the grave\\
If I show you, then I know you won't tell what I said\\
Cause two can keep a secret [[HeKnowsTooMuch if one of them is dead.]]''"
* The theme song to ''Series/{{Community}}'' mixes cheerful tones and theme music with lyrics like "We could be roped up, tied up, dead in a year..."
** "Troy and Abed, off to Dreamland, catching the train to Sleepytown. And when they wake up, the Dean will be here staring at you... Sweet Deans!"
* On ''Series/ANTFarm'', Chyna wrote a few songs like this. First, when she and Fletcher are trying to get Gibson to stop from hanging out with them so much. The tempo and melody are upbeat and happy, however the lyrics are quite dark. She says things like, "...feed him fatty foods till his heart explodes" and "dehydrating his skin and make Gibson-jerky".
** And again when she forms a phony children's band in which the band is dressed in stuffed animal costumes. Some of the songs are safe but just plain odd, such as "You Gotta Wear Pants in Public" and "Don't Go Potty in the Tub", however, there is a song with an up-tempo PunkRock melody that even has a Gothic teen saying "Wow, they're dark."
--->''''When you're doing crafts with art supplies,\\
Don't [[RunsWithScissors run with scissors]], it's not too wise\\
You can stab your chest, your arms, your thighs,\\
[[EyeScream You could lose one or even both your eyes]].
* The ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' "Newborn King" is a ChristmasEpisode, so it's not too surprising that a Christmas Carol would be used... except it is while Ziva is gunning down several Russian mercenaries while Gibbs is the DeliveryGuy for a female army lieutnant.
* Since ''Series/HorribleHistories'' is much about the gorier, grimmer parts of history (within reason for the younger viewers) and many of their songs are quite upbeat, it's a given they'd have some of these. A few examples are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF_U4VGl1Jk Work, Terrible Work]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51aHb_U8Zr0 Do the Pachacuti]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0_z-MbODVo The Evil Emperors Song]]. All cheerful numbers about, respectively, the horrors of Victorian child labour, the various ways Incan warlord Pachacuti would dismember his dead enemies and make use of their body parts, and the atrocities four [[TheCaligula Caligulas]] (including the TropeNamer) commited.
* ''Series/{{Galavant}}'' is largely ''made'' of this trope, including multiple cheery tunes about various characters plotting various murders and assassinations, dramatic tunes with humorous or otherwise ill-fitting lyrics, a cheerful love song highlighting the prevalence of death and disease among peasants in the era, a love-song tune entitled "Maybe You're Not The Worst Thing Ever", and more. Yet another love song plays with the trope a bit, as it is primarily the singers pointing out flaws in each other, yet sincerely affectionate in doing so.
* The opening theme to ''Series/GoodTimes''. If you don't pay attention to the lyrics, it almost sounds like an upbeat gospel song.
-->''''Keeping your head above water,\\
Making a way when you can.\\
Temporary layoffs! (Good times!)\\
Easy credit ripoffs! (Good times!)\\
Scratchin' and survivin'! (Good times!)\\
Hangin' in the chow line! (Good times!)\\
Ain't we lucky we got 'em?\\
Good times!
* ''Series/CrazyExGirlfriend'', being a dark comedic musical, is ''filled'' with these:
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHoopcEz_IU "Feeling Kinda Naughty"]] sounds like a Katy Perry song and starts off like one...before it turns into a ''{{Literature/Misery}}''-like obsession song.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH3FPrI_Cuw "Sex with a Stranger"]] starts like a traditional pop song about stepping into the club and taking a guy home...until the singer starts hoping that the guy isn't a murderer and won't harvest her kidneys.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgUKQCVieWM "You Stupid Bitch"]] is a Whitney Houston-like ballad, but all about self-loathing and self-hatred.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ix3qJPS1b4 "I'm a Good Person"]], in which the singer attempts to make one guy believe she is, indeed, a good person... and, in the process, threatens: "Say [that I'm a good person]! Say it or I'll gut your husband! I'll do it, I'll gut him like a fish!" to a Pharrel-inspired tempo.
** There's also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg4SF3_dlRM "Friendtopia"]], completely inspired by The Spice Girls, that details having such a close bond with your friends, you're going to stage a coup and turn America into an Orwellian dystopia.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu3FE7BswYI "Let's Generalize About Men"]] isn't actually that bad up until you get to the very final stanza... [[spoiler: Her sons are gonna be rapists!]] Ironically, it's set to a tune very similar to "It's Raining Men".
* The ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' sketch "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfiLAcERNQ4 This Is Not a Feminist Song]]" has the season 41 female cast members, and Music/ArianaGrande, perform a stirring anthem about...the difficulty they experienced trying to write a stirring anthem about feminism. [[spoiler:Fortunately, they decide in the last verse that by writing and singing the song without help from any men, they actually ''did'' make a feminist song.]]
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': In "Once More, With Feeling", Buffy sings "Going Through The Motions" and "Something to Sing About", two cheery-sounding tunes about losing the will to live.
* Played with in the full version of the theme to ''Series/{{Cheers}}'', "Where Everybody Knows Your Name". The song's melody is quite uplifting and sweet, but the lyrics describe increasingly depressing things happening to the subject of the song. However, the point of the chorus is that it's nice to have a place to go where you can escape your troubles, where you feel safe and loved and where [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin everybody knows your name]], so it can also be quite sincerely sweet and uplifting as well.
* In ''Series/OnceUponATime'', the episode [[Recap/OnceUponATimeS6E20TheSongInYourHeart "The Song in Your Heart"]] features a VillainSong, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-LUmgY_D_o Wicked Always Wins]]", sung by Zelena, in which she revels in the prospect of bringing down her sister (along with Prince Charming and Snow White). The dissonance comes in when the music is a cheerful, upbeat ''heroic'' musical theatre number -- which, thanks to Rebecca Mader's bright, peppy vocals, sounds eerily like that of a Disney princess! This could be seen as an AffectionateParody of ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}''.
* ''Series/SesameStreet'':
** "Doctor, Please" has an upbeat tune, but it is about why the people and animals are at the doctor, and some of them are quite bad (such as, "this fever's got my goat").
** "When Bert's Not Here" has a bouncy tune, but it has lyrics about how Ernie feels when he misses Bert that can be quite dark (e.g. "When Bert's not here, the hours last forever, the toys aren't fun and the cookies don't crunch/When Bert's not here, I don't feel so clever and I never even feel like having lunch.")
** Little Jerry's "Sad" song is about sadness, yet it has a jaunty doo-wop tune.
** "Lead Police" talks about lead and how it can get in your body and make you sick and that it could be anywhere, but it's sung in a jaunty way.
** "You Have to Be Patient to Be a Patient" is relatively upbeat-sounding, but its lyrics talk about staying in bed and resting.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* The chirpy EndingTheme from ''Series/CaptainScarletAndTheMysterons'': "They crash him, and his body may burn. They smash him, but they know he'll return... to live again". Accompanied by images of a terrified Captain Scarlet in a variety of perilous and painful-looking situations.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]
* In a round of One Song to the Tune of Another on radio comedy show ''Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue'', in which Tony Hawks was given Music/TheSmiths' "Girlfriend In a Coma" to sing to the tune of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips". He made the rendition as upbeat and bouncy as possible, the result being hilarious. (This was reprised by Tim Brooke-Taylor in the live stage show.)
** This is more or less the entire purpose of One Song To The Tune Of Another. The words don't match the music, either in terms of depth, emotion, or intention. For example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XbRKTZ6M00 the lyrics of Barbie Girl to the tune of Strangers In The Night]].
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMj0sJPlB48 Capatin Dinosaur]] from ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme'' is a happy, cheerfull song with pretty silly, cheerful lyrics to match, [[MoodWhiplash until the last verse.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* In Creator/SteveMartin's famous stand-up routine, "Excuse Me!", Steve gets angry with "the backstage crew", and then cheers himself up by playing the banjo. Which leads to this lyrical dissonance:
--> You just can't sing a depressing song when you're playing the banjo. You can't go:
--> [grins, plays happily and sings] "Oh, murder and death and grief and sorrow!" [continues grinning and playing happily]
* In his stand-up show "Dress To Kill" Creator/EddieIzzard points out the difference between American gospel and European hymns:
-->"There's something phenomenally dreary about Christian singing. The gospel singers are the only ones that go crazy. It's amazing, and it's borne out of kidnapping, imprisonment, slavery, murder, all of that, and this joyous singing. And the Church of England, all the Christian religions, which is mainly Caucasian white people with power and money, enough to make Solomon blush, they're all singing...(Dirge-like) "O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to... ?" They're the only people that can sing hallelujah without feeling like it's a hallelujah moment. "Haaallelujah, Haaaalleeelujah Joyfully we...Lark abooouuut..." And...No, it's...It's just not kicking, is it?"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* ''Theatre/BloodBrothers'' has - "Take A Letter, Miss Jones", a bright, upbeat, happy song sung by Mr. Lyons the factory manager as he dictates letters to his secretary, each of which fires another employee. Then he fires her.
* ''Theatre/MyFairLady'' has "Ascot Gavotte", in which lines of motionless, expressionless aristocracy sing about how 'thrilling, absolutely chilling' the race they're watching is (the music fits the restrained visuals rather than the words).
* The Ballads of Booth, Czolgosz, and Guiteau from Theatre/{{Assassins}}.
** And the treacly ballad "Unworthy of Your Love," in which the female vocals are addressed to Charles Manson.
* ''Theatre/AVeryPotterSequel'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpGjzkLDgS0 Guys Like Potter]], a song with lyrics such as, "so many assholes in my face," and "you were totally pwned." It's a sad song.
* "The Campfire Song" from ''Theatre/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' has the tune of a typical happy campfire song. It's about several half-bloods lamenting how awful it is to have a god for a parent.
* A very darkly hilarious example comes from the ''Film/SisterAct'' musical, where Shanke is singing of "finding" his girl (who just saw him commit a murder). It starts off like a jazzy love song, until he gets to the part about '''killing her in multiple violent ways'''. As horrible as it is, it's actually one of the most ''hilarious songs in the musical'', especially when he starts adding the dance moves, and his henchmen begin singing in the background. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hd0yzfL6U4 It must be heard/seen to be believed...]]
** When he keeps repeating the line "When I find my baby, I ain't letting her go," it only gets worse as the song moves on.
** One verse in particular:
-->"Yeah, yeah oh yes I know that girl, and man I need that girl, I gotta have that girl, so I can '''snuff that girl'''. See I know my baby, she's already running. That's how my baby, is gonna be '''done in'''. I'm gonna '''drown''' that girl, or '''disembowel''' that girl, or give '''her skull a big dent with a blunt instrument''', I tell ya soon that girl is looking at a world of WOE! (Wo-wo-wo-WOAH!)
* ''Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors'', true to its over-the-top comedy-horror nature, has toe-tapping, rock-out songs about impending doom ("Little Shop of Horrors"), the pleasures of sadism ("Dentist!"), and [[HumansAreBastards justifying murder to gain your own ends]] ("Feed Me (Git It)"). "Now (It's Just The Gas)" counts on some level, regardless of how it's played: some productions play it grim and scary, while others play it cheerfully. Either way, it's a song about being gassed to death with lyrics like "Though I giggle and I chortle/Bear in mind I'm not immortal".
* In ''Theatre/ByeByeBirdie'', Kim sings "How Lovely To Be A Woman" while dressing herself in typical trashy TVTeen clothes.
* In ''Theatre/TheBookOfMormon'', there's first "Hasa Diga Eebowai", which seems to be a rip-off of HakunaMatata, even with a similar upbeat melody. Until we are told that the phrase is Ugandan for "[[spoiler:[[ClusterFBomb Fuck You, God]]]]".
** "Turn It Off", where the Elders sing very upbeat verses about suppressing bad memories - like witnessing domestic abuse, missing your sister's death, and suppressing your sexuality because you think it's evil.
** "Joseph Smith: American Moses" has the dysentery chant, which makes drinking contaminated water and shitting blood sound awesome.
* ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'' has "Thank Goodness" - a song about how happy Glinda is, while she sounds like she's about to cry.
-->And I couldn't be happier, simply couldn't be happier\\
Well...not "simply"...\\
'Cause getting your dreams, it's strange, but it seems\\
A little, well, ''complicated''...\\

* ''Theatre/{{Rent}}'' has the upbeat, catchy song "Today 4 U" in which Angel describes how she got the money for Christmas...namely, by killing a dog for a rich woman. You'll be bopping your head all the way through that song before you realize "Wait, did she really [[CruelAndUnusualDeath drive a dog to commit suicide]]?"
* The opening number of ''Theatre/NextToNormal'' is an upbeat song called "Just Another Day", which is about the apparent stress of each member of the Goodman family, and each of them treating that stress as just a part of their everyday lives, and being determined to bottle it.
* In Theater/{{Company}}, the song "Getting Married Today" has an operatic section that sounds absolutely beautiful...and then you stop and listen to the words and find out it's about the bride [[SanitySlippageSong having a total meltdown]].
* ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' has "You'll Be Back", a catchy and upbeat Britpop song that comes courtesy of King George III. According to the lyrics, also coming courtesy of King George is a fully armed battalion [[{{Yandere}} sent to kill the Americans' friends and family and to remind them of his love]].
* ''Theater/{{Ruddigore}}'' has "You Understand". It's one of the bounciest songs in the show, a duet between two men plotting to crash a wedding, break up the happy couple, and reveal to everyone that the groom is really the local Bad Baronet.
* ''Theater/{{Dear Evan Hansen}}'' has "Waving Through A Window," a fairly up-tempo song about the main character's depression.
* A David Yazbek trademark. "Big-Ass Rock" from ''Film/TheFullMonty'' is a striking example: the song is played after Dave saves Malcolm from [[DrivenToSuicide asphyxiating himself]], has an appropriately slow melody, and the lyrics boil down to "Don't kill yourself when you have friends who can kill you for you" (though it is meant to, and does, cheer Malcolm up).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:WebAnimation]]
* "Off to the Henhouse" from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT4d7CeQmfQ Episode Three]] of ''WebAnimation/OfWeaselsAndChickens''. It's a song about serial killing with a bouncy, snazzy tune.
* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
** The first opening theme is the epic "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNtcP6EXm3s This Will Be The Day]]". While it starts out talking about how badass Ruby Rose is, the second half tells a different story while keeping the same beat.
-->''Beware that the light is fading;\\
Beware if the dark returns.\\
This world's unforgiving, even brilliant lights will cease to burn.\\
Legends scatter.\\
Day and night will sever.\\
Hope and peace are lost forever.''
** Episode 8 has an epic fight sequence that is accompanied by an equally epic song entitled "[[http://rwby.wikia.com/wiki/RWBY_Soundtrack/Red_Like_Roses_Part_II Red Like Roses Part II]]". The song's lyrics begin with the following:
-->''I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minute.\\
Couldn't bear another day without you in it.\\
All of the joy that I had known for all my life.\\
Was stripped away from me the minute that you died.''
** Also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asM-6lXOOUU "Die"]] from volume 2 episode 4, an upbeat, ass-kicking song... about how darkness is coming and ends with the lyrics '''''"now it's time to die."'''''
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2HFDgSaZjY Smile]]" details [[AntiVillain Ilia's]] tragic past and how it drives her to despise humanity. The melody is very upbeat and pleasant all the way through.
-->''Take what you need\\
Leave them to bleed\\
Let them know bitter while your revenge is sweet.''
[[/folder]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Pretty much the entire premise behind ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog'':
-->It's a brand new day\\
And the sun is high\\
All the birds are singin'\\
That you're gonna die!
** Or "Everything You Ever", which has triumphant lyrics and a tune more in line with a funeral dirge.
-->[[PyrrhicVillainy "Here lies everything\\
The world I wanted at my feet\\
My victory's complete\\
So hail to the king..."]]
** And we can't forget "Everyone's A Hero" as sung by Creator/NathanFillion in full LargeHam mode:
-->Everyone's a hero in their own way
-->You and you and [[SmugSuper mostly me]] and you
-->I'm poverty's new sheriff
-->And I'm bashing in the slums
-->A hero doesn't care if you're a bunch of scary, alcoholic bums!
* WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd's theme song, by Kyle Justin. It's an uptempo song about how much James Rolfe hates the video games he has to review.
* ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'' has the cheery theme song for the [[ShowWithinAShow sitcom within the show]] ''Zorc & Pals'':
-->''The blood of the innocent will flow without end\\
His name is Zorc and he's destroying the world!''
* From Franchise/TheSlenderManMythos, we have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihzJaCaJEd4 Slendy's Watching Me]]. It's a cute, upbeat song about a child being kidnapped by the Slender Man.
* Despite being one of the most upbeat numbers in WebVideo/HumanCentipedeTheMusical, Dr. Heiter's VillainSong depicts BodyHorror.
* The theme song of WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment, "Break Me" by The Irresponsibles. While being a rousing piece of Crowning Music of Awesome, it has rather dark lyrics you might notice on first hearing it. Lampshaded by Spoony in a commentary where he said he loved the song but it was "basically implying that I'm a girl who likes to be domestically abused."
* Zigzagged in one episode of ''WebVideo/JimAndYahtzeesRhymedownSpectacular'', Yahtzee described "[[GameplayAndStorySegregation Ludonarrative Dissonance]]" by alternating between saying a poem about a man who tried to flee life of crime and violence only to go broke and be forced to return, and singing a merry, excited tune about the same man enjoying living a life of crime and violence.
* Music/BrentalFloss does a lyric video for ''VideoGame/{{Limbo}}''. The tune he provides is an actual limbo song and he sings about the multiple ways you can die as the protagonist.
* Played with in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ixvsV-ahI0 "The Gypsy Bard"]] from ''WebVideo/FriendshipIsWitchcraft'', a song about depression, having your life destroyed, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and]] [[ThePollyanna staying]] [[AngstWhatAngst strong]] [[ThinkHappyThoughts through music.]] [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Applejack.
--->[''Pinkie offers to sing a song.'']
---> '''Applejack:''' Doesn't matter which one, Pinkie. [[TemptingFate As long as it's not one of those sad ones with the deceptively happy tunes-]]
---> '''Pinkie:''' ''When you're [[DeusAngstMachina rife with devastation]], there's a simple explanation: / [[CosmicPlaything You're a toymaker's creation, trapped inside a crystal ball.]]''
** She tends to do this a lot. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y1s6Jbhrzc "The Orphanage Song"]] is about her attempts to remain optimistic despite being, well, orphaned and massive self-loathing. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=682pneYoP0c "Pinkie's Brew"]] starts off as a cheerful, bouncy song about potion-brewing, but soon becomes about her desperate loneliness and alienation, and desire to bring her dead parents back to life. [[TheWoobie She's had a hard life...]]
--> ''Crude stew. Do you fear it, Apple Bloom? / Sometimes life is not a cake-walk served up on a silver spoon.''
--> ''God help the outcast with her witchcraft. / Someday I'm gonna go home.''
* ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'' has ''We're a Distraction'', the number one song on [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Krypton]] from 1983. The tune is standard dramatic-but-upbeat '80s power ballad. The lyrics are about how the world is going to end soon, so you might as well try and be happy in the short time you have left to take your mind off things.
** Actually, WordOfGod says that that's an interpretation that has nothing to do with what they intended.
* ''Website/{{Cracked}}'''s [[http://www.cracked.com/article_20195_the-5-most-insane-teams-in-history-sports.html The 5 Most Insane Teams in the History of Sports]] describes an incident in the 1990s when the UsefulNotes/CanadianFootballLeague was attempting to expand into the United States. At one game, the Canadian national anthem was sung to the tune of "O Christmas Tree".
* The ''Website/CollegeHumor'' video "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlsLopZUi1M Honest Holiday Card Song]]". The faces on the card photos sing a ridiculously upbeat melody about all of the various problems they are struggling with, like estranged marriages, struggling with obesity, losing one's job, etc.
* Creator/FilmCow's musical short, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNZzJELbFRI Ferrets]]".
-->'''Unnamed Ferret:''' These are all the little things that make me smile, these are all the stuff that makes life worthwhile! Everybody knows the Holocaust was a lie, so let's sing about the things we like and don't be shy!
-->'''Harold:''' ...wait, what was that about the Holocaust?
* The background soundtrack to the utter destruction of the ''[[Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse Global Guardians']] Cape Town (UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica) team at the hands of the EvilOverlord-cum-EldritchAbomination Abyss, an event that ended in the horrific deaths of seven superheroes and tens of thousands of innocent bystanders, not to mention the leveling of almost half of Cape Town itself, was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFPqiziZxwA David Lee Roth's cover]] of "That's Life."
* Some of [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAVns3lt0t7w8lmUZQFlvrA Paint's]] parodies qualify on this, such as his most famous "After Ever After" songs recounts the depressing and/or disturbing future of [[Franchise/DisneyPrincesses several Disney Princesses]] to the tune of some of their movies' famous songs.
* In WebVideo/RhettAndLink's Good Mythical Morning guest starring Linkin Park, [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-zKyas12ic8 this song]] plays as they eat Sour Patch Kids. A tinkling, music-box melody...about the acid from the candy burning the skin from your mouth.
* ''WebVideo/UndertaleTheMusical'':
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNo4i_-0IsE Ghost Fight]]", an upbeat, energetic jazz number about how miserable [[TheEeyore Napstablook]] is. Although the lyrics start matching the tune after Frisk hugs the poor ghost.
** [[https://youtu.be/oB_lKI1o754 "Your Best Friend"]], Flowey's VillainSong. Fitting his general character, it sounds like something from Barney or other kid's show...but has lyrics about his [[TheSocialDarwinist twisted worldview and how he wants to murder the protagonist.]] [[https://youtu.be/hnHS6_PLDrw The latter reprise]] qualifies even more so, as he completely drops all pretense of benevolence and is entirely about his evil intentions.
** Flowey maintains this when he [[spoiler:[[OneWingedAngel becomes Omega Flowey]] and sings "[[https://youtu.be/z5yxcwrQkgY Your Best Nightmare]]", keeping the same style of singing while singing about his murderous intentions to murder Frisk over and over and become a God.]]
* Website/{{Tumblr}} repurposed the tune from the classic {{Christmas song|s}} "Baby, It's Cold Outside" to tell a [[http://ms-demeanor.tumblr.com/post/168305679152/emilysidhe-dont-spoop-yourself-emilysidhe musical version]] of the scene in ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' when LadyMacbeth talks her VillainProtagonist husband into killing the king. (Note that due to ValuesDissonance, even the original song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" can retroactively come off as this trope to modern listeners, who often consider the male singer to be uncomfortably predatory. But of course, that wasn't the intent with which the song was written back in TheForties.)

* ''WesternAnimation/Uglydolls'' has a couple: "The Ugly Truth," a bouncy funk song where Lou points out his own perfection and everyone else's (miniscule) flaws, and "All Dolled Up," an upbeat song about changing how you look in order to be like everyone else.

* The show ''Series/CrazyExGirlfriend'' being a dark comedic musical is ''filled'' with these. Just some examples include: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHoopcEz_IU "Feeling Kinda Naughty"]], which sounds like a Katy Perry song and starts off like one...before it turns into a ''Misery''-like obsession song; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH3FPrI_Cuw "Sex with a Stranger"]] which starts like a traditional pop song about stepping into the club and taking a guy home...until the singer starts hoping that the guy isn't a murderer and won't harvest her kidneys; and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgUKQCVieWM "You Stupid Bitch"]], which is a Whitney Houston-like ballad, but all about self-loathing and self-hatred.
** A few personal favorites of this tropers are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ix3qJPS1b4 "I'm a Good Person"]] in which the singer attempts to make one guy believe she is, indeed, a good person... and, in the process, threatens: "Say [that I'm a good person]! Say it or I'll gut your husband! I'll do it, I'll gut him like a fish!" to a Pharrel-inspired tempo.

** Finally, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu3FE7BswYI "Let's Generalize About Men"]] isn't actually that bad up until you get to the very final stanza... [[spoiler: Her sons are gonna be rapists!]] Ironically, it's set to a tune very similar to "It's Raining Men".
*** Three words to describe Crazy Ex-Girlfriend songs: "that escalated quickly."

[[folder:Webcomics]]

[[folder:Web Originals]]

* ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'' has the "Squiddle Song" on one of its {{Leitmotif}} albums. Its a folk-music song about a [[YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm childrens' cartoon]]... that talks about how "all your friends are dead" and causally references buckets of blood, without losing the folk-music kids-cartoon tone.

* "Shiny" from ''{{Disney/Moana}}'' veers back in forth in tone between the menacing tones of a VillainSong... and upbeat '70s glam rock. While most of the song consists of {{Badass Boast}}s that fit the tone of both halves, Tamatoa's intent to kill and eat the heroes is mostly expressed in the bouncy parts, and the lyrics do not at all sugarcoat this desire. Just look at the way the lyrics [[MoodWhiplash swerve]]...

** The tail-end of "You're Welcome"; Maui's IAmGreatSong starts out with a recap of all the awesome things he's done, but near the finish he sings on how he's taking Moana's boat-- and then traps her in a cave.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'' has one that becomes foreshadowing: Ernesto de la Cruz's rendition of "Remember Me" seems very ''wrong''. The lyrics come from a place of love, true pure love, yet they're being presented with this upbeat melody like it's a frivolous and show offish love. [[spoiler:That's because it's not Ernesto's song, but Hector's. Notice how Hector's portrayal of the song is one that's slow and melancholy, and feels more genuine and heartfelt. It's something that only he was able to write, because it came from his heart. However, with Ernesto, music is a tool for him to achieve fame and nothing more. He has no care for using music as a tool to express his feelings, which is why the only way he could achieve anything was to steal music from somebody who legitimately cared about music: Hector. However, while Ernesto stole the lyrics and melody of the song from Hector, the one thing he couldn't steal was the heart and passion of the song, which is why Ernesto's version is glorified and over the top. Ernesto missed the point of Hector's song, thus making the song feel artificial and soulless, when compared to Hector's version.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'' has one that becomes foreshadowing: Ernesto de la Cruz's rendition of "Remember Me" seems very odd. It has an upbeat melody, but the lyrics about having to leave family are so mismatched with the tone. [[spoiler:That's because the song was actually written by Hector, who believes music is about expressing feelings. Notice how Hector's portrayal of the song is one that's slow and melancholy, and feels more genuine and heartfelt. It's something that only he was able to write, because it came from his heart. However, with Ernesto, music is a tool for him to achieve fame and nothing more. He has no care for using music as a tool to express his feelings, which is why the only way he could achieve anything was to steal music from somebody who legitimately cared about music: Hector. However, while Ernesto stole the lyrics and melody of the song from Hector, the one thing he couldn't steal was the heart and passion of the song, which is why Ernesto's version is glorified and over the top. Ernesto missed the point of Hector's song, thus making the song feel artificial and soulless, when compared to Hector's version.]]

So, you're listening to this new song. Nice and springy, sounds like it's gonna be a fun little ditty. Then '''the lyrics''' start. You might be happily humming along to the catchy melody for a little bit, before it sinks in: The singer is actually telling a woeful tale about miserable subjects, including struggling with depression, descend into insanity, committing murder, committing suicide, witnessing the end of civilization and the downfall of mankind, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking being a victim of line-cutting]].

* "Shiny" from ''{{Disney/Moana}}'' veers back in forth in tone between the menacing tones of a VillainSong... and upbeat 70s glam rock. While most of the song consists of {{Badass Boast}}s that fit the tone of both halves, Tamatoa's intent to kill and eat the heroes is mostly expressed in the bouncy parts, and the lyrics do not at all sugarcoat this desire. Just look at the way the lyrics [[MoodWhiplash swerve]]...

* "Let It Go" from ''{{Disney/Frozen}}'', an uplifting-sounding song by Elsa about finally accepting her powers... which is also about choosing to live a life in isolation and cut herself off from the world. Ironically enough that's ''inverted'' on a meta-level, seeing as by many people it's viewed as an empowerment anthem and has actually encouraged many, which is arguably the ''opposite'' of what some dissonance may suggest it means for Elsa. Also of note is that it was originally meant to be a VillainSong before Creator/IdinaMenzel's performance led the writers to completely changing the story, and the song led people to treat it as... well, the exact opposite. Irony at its finest.

* ''Series/{{Helix}}'':
** The [[https://youtu.be/_noRe2FMvW4 intro credits]], which sound like some cheery [[TheElevatorFromIpanema elevator music]] tune in a show centered on BodyHorror, with only the cut-off note at the end indicating something is very awry.
** In season 1, episode 7, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp75ri1I7ng a slick jazz song-cover of "Fever"]] by A Fine Frenzy is played over a montage of people dying of the virus and being attacked by the infected.

* Website/{{Tumblr}} took the tune from the classic {{Christmas song|s}} "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and used it to tell a [[http://ms-demeanor.tumblr.com/post/168305679152/emilysidhe-dont-spoop-yourself-emilysidhe version]] of the scene in ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' when LadyMacbeth talks her VillainProtagonist husband into killing the king. (Note that due to ValuesDissonance, even the original song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" can retroactively come off as this trope to modern listeners, who often consider the male singer to be uncomfortably predatory. But of course, that wasn't the intent with which the song was written back in TheForties.)

* Website/{{Tumblr}} took the tune from the classic {{Christmas song|s}} "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and used it to tell a [[http://ms-demeanor.tumblr.com/post/168305679152/emilysidhe-dont-spoop-yourself-emilysidhe version]] of the scene in ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' when LadyMacbeth talks her husband into killing the king. (Note that due to ValuesDissonance, even the original song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" can retroactively come off as this trope to modern listeners, who often consider the male singer to be uncomfortably predatory. But of course, that wasn't the intent with which the song was written back in TheForties.)

* Website/{{Tumblr}} took the tune from the classic {{Christmas song|s}} "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and used it to tell a [[http://ms-demeanor.tumblr.com/post/168305679152/emilysidhe-dont-spoop-yourself-emilysidhe version]] of the scene in ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' when LadyMacbeth talks her husband into killing the king. (Note that due to ValuesDissonance, even the original song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" may sound like this trope to modern listeners who consider the male singer to be uncomfortably predatory. But of course, that wasn't the intent with which the song was written back in TheForties.)

* Website/{{Tumblr}} took the tune of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and used it to tell a [[http://ms-demeanor.tumblr.com/post/168305679152/emilysidhe-dont-spoop-yourself-emilysidhe version]] of the scene in ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' when LadyMacbeth talks her husband into killing the king. (Note that due to ValuesDissonance, even the original song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" may sound like this trope to modern listeners who consider the male singer to be uncomfortably predatory -- but of course that wasn't the intent with which the song was written.)

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Hoodwinked}}'' has Boingo's VillainSong, "Top of the Woods," a song about oppressing other creatures, getting children addicted to junk food, and becoming a ruthless dictator, in the style of a New Orleans jazz band.

* ''Series/{{Helix}}'': The [[https://youtu.be/_noRe2FMvW4 intro credits]], which sound like some cheery [[TheElevatorFromIpanema elevator music]] tune in a show centered on BodyHorror, with only the cut-off note at the end indicating something is very awry.

* ''Series/{{Helix}}'': The intro credits, which sound like some cheery [[TheElevatorFromIpanema elevator music]] tune in a show centered on BodyHorror, with only the cut-off note at the end indicating something is very awry.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
** The first opening theme is the epic "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNtcP6EXm3s This Will Be The Day]]". While it starts out talking about how badass Ruby Rose is, the second half tells a different story while keeping the same beat.
-->''Beware that the light is fading;\\
Beware if the dark returns.\\
This world's unforgiving, even brilliant lights will cease to burn.\\
Legends scatter.\\
Day and night will sever.\\
Hope and peace are lost forever.''
** Episode 8 has an epic fight sequence that is accompanied by an equally epic song entitled "[[http://rwby.wikia.com/wiki/RWBY_Soundtrack/Red_Like_Roses_Part_II Red Like Roses Part II]]". The song's lyrics begin with the following:
-->''I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minute.\\
Couldn't bear another day without you in it.\\
All of the joy that I had known for all my life.\\
Was stripped away from me the minute that you died.''
** Just to make it clear, there is nothing about the fight scene that matches the song's lyrics.
** Also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asM-6lXOOUU "Die"]] from volume 2 episode 4, an upbeat, ass-kicking song... about how darkness is coming and ends with the lyrics '''''"now it's time to die."'''''

* In ''Series/OnceUponATime'', the episode [[Recap/OnceUponATimeS6E20TheSongInYourHeart "The Song in Your Heart"]] features a VillainSong, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-LUmgY_D_o Wicked Always Wins]]", sung by Zelena, in which she revels in the prospect of bringing down her sister (along with Prince Charming and Snow White). The dissonance comes in when the music is a cheerful, upbeat ''heroic'' musical theatre number -- and which, thanks to Rebecca Mader's bright, peppy vocals, sounds eerily like that of a Disney princess! This could be seen as an AffectionateParody of ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}''.

* In ''Series/OnceUponATime'', the episode [[Recap/OnceUponATimeS6E20TheSongInYourHeart "The Song in Your Heart"]] features a VillainSong, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-LUmgY_D_o Wicked Always Wins]]", sung by Zelena, in which she revels in the prospect of bringing down her sister (along with Prince Charming and Snow White), to music that is more reminiscent of an upbeat ''heroic'' musical theatre number. This could be seen as an AffectionateParody of ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}''.

* For a long while, Carnival Cruise Line was using the chorus from Music/IggyPop's ''Music/LustForLife'' as background music to their commercials showing happy families having fun during a Caribbean cruise. Forgotten in all the bright colors and good cheer is the fact that the song is about living with a serious heroin addiction and how said addiction almost killed Iggy Pop. The song was also used in a motivational feel-good advert for {{New Zealand}}-brewed Steinlager beer during the 1990s.